UN Development Programme head says Germany must “lead by example” on CO2 price

Handelsblatt

Industrialised countries like Germany have to “lead by example” through bold climate action policies in order to prevent emerging countries from following the same fossil fuel-driven path of development as the West, the UN Development Programme’s head, Achim Steiner, said in an interview with Handelsblatt. “Experts in economics and climate science agree that a price on CO2 would be the most efficient instrument to boost a low-carbon economy,” Steiner said, adding that “this at least is the theory.” It is very difficult to implement such a price, and simply burdening people by raising taxes may not be the only way forward, he added. “I think it is indispensable to publicly debate this with all its pros and cons,” Steiner said, noting that ensuring the public grasps such policies is key to implementing them.